THE CURIOUS CASE OF BANSKO
What is new?
This year, I’m thrilled to invite you to a cornerstone event for digital nomads worldwide: Bansko Nomad Fest 2024. From June 23–30, immerse yourself in a week-long celebration of the nomadic lifestyle, where learning, adventure, and rejuvenation converge amidst the stunning Bulgarian mountains. Use the exclusive code “uwebnf24” for a special 10% discount on your ticket: banskonomadfest.com Whether it’s morning yoga, insightful talks, or connecting with fellow nomads, this festival promises an unforgettable experience. #DigitalNomadLife #BanskoNomadFest2024 #LocationIndependence #StartupBulgaria
Welcome!
Hello, fellow Digital Nomads, Uwe here, originally from Austria but now a citizen of the world. For over a decade, my location-independent journey has taken me to the most unexpected places, fueling my passion for coworking, sailing, and embarking on new adventures. One of my most rewarding projects was co-founding Coworking Bansko, a hub in the heart of Bulgaria’s serene mountain town of Bansko. This enchanting locale is not just a place but a transformative experience, offering calm, inspiration, and freedom to every nomad that passes through. Since its inception, Coworking Bansko has welcomed uncountable numbers of transient nomads, and more and more of them are adopting Bansko as their temporary, seasonal or more permanent base, returning whenever the travel fatigue sets in. Get in touch with me.
Are you looking for Residency and Business formation services? Check out MyStartBulgaria.com for further information.
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM READING THIS….
- HERE’S WHAT TO DISCOVER IN THIS POST…
- Bansko’s Rise as a Nomad Hub: Uncover the reasons behind Bansko, Bulgaria’s emergence as a premier destination for digital nomads, offering more than just its picturesque landscapes.
- Affordability & Community: Learn how Bansko stands as a cost-effective alternative to popular nomad spots like Chiang Mai, without compromising on the sense of community or lifestyle quality.
- Vibrant Coworking Scene: Explore the dynamic coworking spaces that make Bansko a conducive environment for creativity, productivity, and networking.
- Beyond Ski Season: Discover the plethora of activities Bansko offers beyond its renowned ski season, catering to a diverse range of interests and passions.
- Cost of Living Comparison: Get insights into how living in Bansko compares financially to other nomadic hotspots, highlighting its affordability.
“I went to Bansko in April, when most people leave due to the end of the ski season. It turned out to be a perfect little mountain town heaven on earth. It shocked me how much I loved this place. There was always something going on with the coworking community and it really was the most inexpensive place I had been in 8 years of location independence.” (Chris Reynolds)
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF BANSKO AND A WHOLE LOT OF NATURE
Bansko is Bulgaria’s #1 ski destination and a top summer outdoor destination as well. Geographically, we are located at about 925m (3,034 ft.) above sea level at the foot of Pirin Mountains. With high alpine lakes and many hot springs (within a short drive) with healing mineral waters, the mountains and local national park is home to the #1 ski resort in Bulgaria…Bansko.
The wilderness and natural vegetation are really surprising, I am always astonished how it feels when traveling through the country. The scenic views offer a vast and truly natural landscape. The nature is phenomenal and having a natural reserve parks, like the Pirin National Park in front of our doorstep is one of the many great examples.
WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE BANSKO
The list of possible activities is almost endless: Ski, SnowBoard, Golfing, Mountain biking, Cycling, Rock climbing, Paintball, Mountain hiking, 5 Hot Springs within a 20 min. drive, Paragliding, BBQ, Snow mobiles, Quads / ATV, Wine tasting, Nature reserve park walking, Bear park, Horse Riding, All natural river ice bath taking….
WINTER IN BANSKO
Bansko is the most popular ski resort in Bulgaria, featuring 75 km of ski slopes and 14 lifts with a season lasting from December to April. Bansko enjoys the deepest and most reliable snowpack in the region. The resort has 360 snow guns for early season snow cover and 80% of the slopes have snow making capabilities. The town is also the annual host of FIS World Cup alpine ski races which attracts an international crowd of ski lovers.
Did you know Bulgaria is ranked 2nd in Europe only after Iceland in terms of number of hot springs? The nearby village of Banya (only 5 km away) is known for its 27 hot springs. The hot springs are a must visit and deeply rooted into our weekly schedule. It’s proven over and over again, early morning skiing followed by a deep work session at the coworking and a hot springs evening make a perfect day!
There is a crystal clear mountain river close by, Chris (a former member of our community) encouraged a group of people to take 90 second ice cold baths last April when he was visiting. The melting snow from the mountain fills pools in Glatzna river with lots of cold water and makes it an excellent spot for à la Wim Hof bathing style. If you need a treat or heat up, there are natural hot springs and spas close by, available all year around. The warm natural hot springs water will help you heat up and is known to cure physical pains.
The spas are absolutely amazing too. The Grand Hotel Spa was ranked the #1 spa in Bulgaria. It has two saunas at different temperatures, three steam rooms at different temperatures, a Turkish hammam, a salt sauna, hot tub jacuzzi, jacuzzi pool, a natural body temperature pool, a cold bath, an ice shower, a couple dozen relaxation beds all at different temperatures, a fire place and a state of the art gym. You can access all those with an unlimited access to the spa for a whopping $100 a month!
WINTER ACTIVITIES
Skiing and Snowboarding
The season begins here in December and runs all the way through April. The resort has plenty of beginner and intermediate slopes of various levels of difficulty and some advanced terrain with a total of 75 kilometers of (non-backcountry) slopes. A race from the FIS Ski World Cup is held at the Tomba ski run in Bansko every year (22–24 Feb 2019).
On any given winter day many of the coworkers like to be at the Gondola at 8:00am first thing. They can get a few hours of skiing/snowboarding in before heading to the coworking spot and still getting in a full days work.
For more information on snow conditions, lift tickets and season passes, as well as live webcams from the mountain, check Bansko Ski official site.
Cross Country Skiing
Bansko has a 5 km cross-country track at 1530m altitude which is the location of several annual biathlon competitions and a challenging circuit that makes the most of the mountainous terrain in the region.
Backcountry Skiing/Snowboarding / Ski Touring
The area around Bansko offers tremendous opportunities for winter trekking and off piste exploring. BEWARE of avalanches! Every year a number of experienced free skiers/riders get caught in avalanches around Todorka couloirs. Be prepared with avalanche safety gear and knowledge, research the snow conditions, the terrain and the weather and hire a certified local guide if you are venturing out on your own for the first time.
Snowshoe Winter Hiking
You can rent snowshoes on your own and go explore the areas around town or go for an organized leisurely trek at lower elevations with some of the local adventure companies.
Partying and Apres-ski
It’s rather difficult to escape those gatherings when up in the mountain skiing or snowboarding and having a good time!
Winter Festivals
Mountain Film Fest — program here. For all the outdoor film festival fans looking to experience Bansko Film Fest, don’t miss this event at the beginning of the ski season!
Other Winter Activities — ice skating at the outdoor rink, snowmobiling tours can be arranged with local adventure companies, there is horseback riding and hot springs to be enjoyed in surrounding villages and ice climbing routes can be explored not far from town. (For ice climbing please find a certified guide to accompany you and show you the routes.)
SUMMER IN BANSKO
Bansko is the starting point for exploring Pirin National Park and the surrounding mountains. The town offers multiple marked trails for hiking, mountain biking, and climbing; an 18-hole golf course; various horseback riding options; many spas with thermal mineral waters and wine tasting in nearby villages. (Oh yeah…the wine here is absolutely incredible!!!)
Bansko also hosts a number of music, film, art and culture festivals which turn the small town into a lively scene with performers and guests from all over the world. May to September are my favourite months and the weather is warm with a lot of sunshine and really pleasant most of the time. I call it the extended summer season. During this time the town is rather quiet and calm which is the perfect time for the community to be at full swing and to unfold its regular events.
The summer in Bansko is my favourite time. The mountain invites you for all types of outdoor activities. We have a regular group of thrill seekers. For example, a handful of coworkers will get a morning get in some downhill mountain biking at 8:00am before work and be at the coworking space by 10:00am ready to go!
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
Swimming
Here are some of the most popular pools around Bansko.
The Belvedere — A very long and elegant pool with a small bridge in the middle. Entrance: 8 bgn.
The Regnum — a big pool in the Gondola area. Entrance: 10 bgn
The Strahzite Pool — a big pool that can be used for competitions. Entrance: 10 bgn.
Leonardo — A small pool with a beachclub atmosphere, nearby the Coworking space.
Grand Hotel Bansko — an indoor swimming pool and spa.
Hiking
In the mountains around Bansko is the most popular and easily accessible summer activity in the region. Vihren and Bezbog Peaks and the lakes around Vihren Hut are all very popular trails and can get quite busy with international tourists. You can find more information about the routes, levels, and what to expect here. Do not forget Pirin National Park is a high alpine zone and the weather can be quite unpredictable. Summiting the peaks is considered advanced terrain so perhaps check your abilities with an easier hike before heading straight up.
White Water Rafting
can be done from April to end of July. The price is 50 BGN per person. This includes rental of wetsuits, footwear and buoyancy aids. You will need to wear swimwear and sun cream and take small money for drinks. The raft fits 6 people and includes a guide. For a small supplement, they will take photos of you riding the rapids. For the rafting: if you book it with a travel agent in Bansko the price will be up to 100 BGN per person. If you book directly with a Rafting Company then the price is around 50 BGN, but you have to arrange your own transport. X-club is a reliable one and so is Rafting BG. For booking through an agent just visit any office in Bansko.
Mountain Biking
For biking enthusiasts there are a number of marked trails around Bansko of various levels. More are mentioned here. The ride around the golf club is a good beginners / family friendly trail and a local favorite is the ride to Alpha Spa in Dobrinishte followed by a dip in the thermal pools after the dusty, relatively flat ride. There is also a jump/skills dirt park in the town park where you can practice tricks, landings, jumps and berms. The popular Road to Nowhere race runs in town for a few years now attracting hundreds of bikers. Most recently, the Enduro Bansko ran in August 2018 and also filled the town for a day.
Golf
Pirin Golf & Country Club right outside Bansko offers a professional 18-hole golf course as well as an indoor golf simulator for the colder months. The hotel, part of the country club also features a heated indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and spa procedures, squash courts, and a modern fitness center.
Horseback Riding
Dvorene right outside of Bansko. A 2 hour outdoor ride is 50 BGN and they come pick you up in Bansko for 10 BGN.
Perivolas in Bachevo, some 12 km away from Bansko offers riding lessons, trail rides and gentle horses for all levels.
Summer Festivals
Check out https://www.banskoski.com/bg for the 2020 program. You can switch between summer and winter by clicking the sun/snow symbol on top left.
Some of them are free and outdoors, others take you inside local venues and require tickets that can be purchased locally or in advance online.
Theater Festival
Folklore Magic Festival. Held on the main square in Bansko it is a free festival that showcases the local folk traditions.
Cinema Under the Stars. Starting at 21:00 nightly a program of short films and documentaries from International Mountain Film Festival are shown for free on the central square. It is a fabulous way to experience the Bansko hospitality and enjoy the warm summer nights after a day exploring the great outdoors.
International Jazz Festival. An 8-days music extravaganza that has been running for 20 years this festival is truly international with stars from all over the world.
Bansko Opera Festival. Featuring Nabuko this year, it is another popular free of charge event held at the central square.
Balkan Festival Balkan musicians of all genres convene in the main square, joined by famous Serbian singers Sasa Matic and Ceca Rajnatovic. Free entrance!
Other Summer Activities
Everything from…. ATV adventures, off road Jeep adventures, outdoor bootcamp (check Wellness section to learn more), a paintball challenge, or some rock climbing (close to the restaurant at Pesherite are a series of climbing routes.
YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES
Fitness
Peak Fitness Bansko offers morning and evening outdoor bootcamp classes 3 times a week at 5BGN per session in the warmer months of the year
Fit Station Bansko (inside White Lavina Hotel) has various fitness classes in the afternoon during the week at 10BGN per class
Fenix Fitness by the roundabout across the bridge has everything you need for your workout. At 3BGN per visit don’t expect fancy equipment or plush changing rooms.
Bodyweight fitness section in the town park is free to use to the public where you can enhance your jungle gym skills or bring a TRX to hang.
Pulse Fitness and Spa in Grand Hotel Bansko is your plush option close to the Old Town. Your first visit is free and monthly memberships are around 100BGN including access to their fully-equipped gym and spa with the best equipment around.
Kempinski Fitness and Spa in Kempinski Hotel by the gondola is the higher end gym in the Ski Zone part of town. It has a fitness center, indoor swimming pool and spa that is also open to guests NOT staying in the hotel.
Thermal Pools
Unlike public swimming pools, thermal pools don’t contain harmful chemicals for cleaning the water and the minerals penetrate the skin naturally to have their positive effect on the body. There are over 30 hot springs around Bansko in the villages of Banya (5km away) and Dobriniste (8km). You can reach both by car or go on a leisurely bike ride to earn your soak. Further away and great for a day trip out of town are Ognyanovo, Sandanski, Marikostinovo and Rupite (famous for its mud baths).
Some of our locals’ favorite hot springs are “Izgreva” in Banya and “Alpha Spa” in Dobrinishte as well as the secret public hot springs. For a full list of the hot springs and spas in Bansko, check this blog.
Spas
Many of the 4* and 5* hotels in Bansko offer day spa services to guests and visitors alike. If you aren’t staying at one of them and are interested in face and body procedures, then you could look up the closest one to you on the map. There are also a number of certified freelance massage therapists, aestheticians, and physiotherapists in town that can offer high quality services at a fraction of the cost of the hotel spas.
WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE?
Bulgaria has four seasons and when you are up in the mountain this fact is rather evident. Despite the alpine landscape, Bansko has a mediterranean climate with reliable snowfalls in the winter season.
The ski season and snow falls usually start in December with the official ski facilities opening around the 15th. When the weather is good, which is often the case, the feeling is fabulous! The sun warms you well and makes skiing an extremely joyful experience. Having a coffee outside, wearing just a T-shirt is absolutely possible and very common towards the end of the season. The best, prime months for skiing are January, March and beginning of April. February is usually a bit more crowded because of spring vacations and all sorts of enthusiasts. Long queues at the Gondola- the cable car which takes you up the mountain, can be avoided when starting the ski-day early and get to work after a few amazing hours of skiing. Many of the coworking members will wake up for the first Gondola ride up the mountain at 8:10am. They will hit the slopes until 11:00 am and be at the coworking space by 11:30am. One member, Samantha got 80 days of snowboarding this past season. Sometimes the members will hop in a car slap on some snowshoes and hike up to the top of a mountain for some backcountry skiing/snowboarding. If you could picture living in a ski mountain town in Colorado or Austria, the experience in Bansko is very similar.
THE COMMUNITY!
If all that isn’t enough to perk your ears up here is one of the biggest selling points (I’m biased) of Bansko…..I know how us nomads like our communities and we have a really great one! We have worked really hard over the past few years to make this an incredible destination for digital nomads and location independent entrepreneurs from around the world. In Bansko we are close, it is a small town and you can walk into like minded people everywhere.
Despite all the benefits of this amazing city, the community is actually the highlight of Bansko. Meeting people is super easy. The community of location independent entrepreneurs, digital nomads and freelancers is very inviting and offers an instant feeling of home and family alike. We have around 30 people or so that have established a permanent base in Bansko and return whenever they need a break from travelling. New people arrive weekly and the dynamics of long established people and newcomers is very enhancing. Many people admit coming for the ambiance, nature and business opportunities.
The centre of the community is the coworking space where the vast majority of the people meet and where a plethora of activities happen.
An example of weekly community activities:
Sunday — Movie night/ Misc gathering
Monday — Showtime or Game night
Tuesday — Workshops/ Slackline
Wednesday — Open mic night / jam session
Thursday — Hot Springs
Friday — BBQ or Group Dinner
Saturday — Misc organized events
Wine tasting, paintball, football/soccer, hiking/ mountain biking
“Coworking Bansko has a great community and organises a variety of events for the members on a daily basis. It’s definitely more of a family unit and makes it easy to connect with other people.” (online review)
If that is all too much for you, choose the easy weekly soak in one of the plenty hot springs Thursday evenings or the weekly Friday BBQ where you can catch up with all the people and get to know the newcomers or having a chilled beer in a very cosy atmosphere. I really like this article by Luise, who wrote about her experience when she visited Bansko.
There is an active Digital Nomad Facebook Group that you may want to join in advance, especially if planning on coming to town. If interested, you can find a large expat community in Bansko, they hold regular social events and you have the chance to get to know more of the ‘locals’.
The community is really open and willing to share ideas and people are happy to help when you get stuck, read more on networking and check this article written by Edith. The serendipity is on a very high level and you will have a lot of “aha” moments where you can learn and improve your game.
IS IT REALLY CHEAPER THAN CHIANG MAI?
Well….Yes!
A good point to make a note of is that in the past twenty years Bulgaria has been subject to the so-called currency board which is required to maintain a fixed exchange rate with a given foreign currency. This means that ever since 1997, when the board was introduced, the exchange rate of Euro — BGN has always been 1€ = 1.95583BGN. This comes in very handy when calculating prices and trying to figure the costs in “real” money. My advice: just divide the sum by 2 and you get a pretty good understanding of the cost in Euro.
Accomodation
I can responsibly say that Bansko is cheaper than Chiang Mai. Renting an apartment can be as low as 300 to 500€ per month (for a very nice place, and more affordable for a spars rooms). If you come for the short term, it is not too uncommon for people to find a good 2 bedroom for 350 euros. Note that the prices fluctuate from winter to summer. Winter tends to be a bit more expensive and that same 2 bedroom will be around 450–550 euros. If you end up paying 600 euros in the winter season for an apartment, you are going to have a very, very nice place. One that has a couple bedrooms, a fireplace, a view, pool and sauna. It will probably be pretty close to the ski gondola as well.
If interested in buying a place, you may find a studio as cheap as 10–20k Euros or a two bedroom apartment for 20–35k €. I recommend checking prices in summer. The high season is winter and the peak of tourism makes everything more expensive.
Dining Out and Grocery Shopping
Bansko has a diverse food scene with a large variety of restaurants and cooking styles. The Bulgarian cuisine includes plenty of salads, a great deal of dairy and meat dishes.
When you know where to get a set lunch menu you can get it for as little as 5 leva (BGN), which is roughly 4–8€. A nice full course dinner will run you on average 15 euros. Grocery shopping is also pretty affordable as well. Especially, if you hit up the Sunday market. It is quite the cultural experience.
If you are a meat lover, the local grilled specialties will have your taste buds buzzing. The majority of the produce is organic and the Sunday Farmer Market sells local fruits and veggies. There are a number of supermarkets in town that are pretty well stocked too. There is a Lidl in Razlog that CoWorking Bansko members love visiting. You might be able to get a shared ride when someone else wants to shop. You can also take the bus to Razlog or enjoy a 15 min bike ride.
In terms of restaurants, you will find plenty of options depending on your cravings and preferences. Options include pizza and pasta places, Russian Cuisine, Sushi and others. The blog post by A Social Nomad describes popular Bulgarian dishes to try in Bansko and offers also translations to English and further descriptions.
What is good to know is that the traditional Bulgarian restaurants / tavernas are usually called “Mehana” (Механа in cyrilic) or “Han” and they offer a wide variety of famous mountain cuisine. The food is delicious and the portions are enormous. Most of those restaurants also have a set lunch menu (“obedno menyu”) which they will gladly translate into English for you. It usually changes daily, is freshly made and cooked to order. It tends to be much more affordable and adds variety to your daily meal options.
Vegetarian or Vegan — while there are no strictly vegetarian restaurants in Bansko, some have a vegetarian section on their menu and plenty offer vegetarian and vegan dishes to patrons. Strict vegans will also have their choice of salads, grilled veggies, rice dishes, and fruit delicacies. For a list of vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants in Bansko check the vegetarian survival guide. Vegetarian cuisine in Bulgaria is mainly based on cheese, eggs and yogurt. When ordering bean or rice dishes, make sure you ask if the dish was cooked with plant oil or if butter was added. The older Bulgarians still find it difficult to understand why anyone would NOT eat cheese, butter, eggs or even meat for that matter, except before Easter when fasting for 40 days. That is a common practice.
What About Wifi?
The internet connection in town is pretty good. Bulgaria is known as one of the fastest internet providers within the EU. You can buy a 4G card that costs about 15 BGN (7–10€), have a sit in one of the many coffee shops that all provide a free of charge WiFi or use the WiFi of Bansko CoWorking space (150 Mbit synchron).
HERE IS ONE MORE JUICY SELLING POINT
BULGARIA — BUSINESS WISE 10% FLAT TAX
Bulgaria offers a flat 10% tax rate, controlled foreign corporation rules only apply for companies and social security contributions are capped. This makes it a great location for online and serviced based businesses that do not rely on local customers. And Bulgaria is part of the European Union, so no shady tax-heaven with uncertain legal implications. Visit MyStartBulgaria.com for more details, check the FAQ section or book a counselling call to find out how to cut down your business costs.
Bulgaria is still unspoiled, not over-regulated and with only little limitations. Here is freedom. It feels good, there are a lot of potential and opportunities waiting around the corner. It’s not like living in tight-lacing, strict countries where options are locked up due to too many rules and regulations. Of course, there are pros and cons to either side. I personally prefer the Bulgarian one, as it adds positivity to my wellbeing.
It’s quite clear that many things work differently here and in comparison to Central Europe there is lots of room for improvement. You may also hear stories about the mafia and a great deal of corruption at all levels. Despite the rumours, I have never experienced such a thing personally. We have to deal with the municipality in some of our business aspects with Coworking Bansko. It does have rather a long way of bureaucracy but never ever have we been asked to pay extra, nor have we come across other similar situations.
Safety and security — Sofia is a growing city and people live generally peacefully. I have met many female solo travellers and they have never felt unsafe or have come across a delicate situation.
Bansko is a small mountain village where I never heard stories that something went away, with one exception: I heard from a neighbour that a children’s bicycle got stolen. I have never heard from coworkers and friends that something went away or that something was taken out of a car or a place. Bansko is considered a very safe place to be and it feels really cool and easy. It has this flair of a mountain village where every villager knows the other one and you might cross paths unexpectedly with your new friends.
Bankso is really like a playground for adults. If you like outdoor activities in the summer or winter there is no lack of fun and adventure. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed Bansko. They really do a great job building the community and keeping it active! (Chris Reynolds)
TRAVELING GETTING TO AND AROUND BANSKO
Bansko is about a 2-hrs drive away from the capital — Sofia (160km). It’s only 3 hrs away from Thessaloniki, and 2-hrs from Kavala in Greece. The roads are of good conditions, mainly highways and the traveling weekenders are the main obstacle one should fear when on the road. Other reachable by car destination include Macedonia — 4-hrs, Istanbul — 6-hrs, Albania — 7-hrs, Budapest — 10-hrs.
- By bus — The bus from Sofia leaves from The Central Bus Station and takes about 3 hours to reach Bansko. Buses run more frequently during the ski season while in summer there are about 4 runs a day. If you can’t get a bus directly to Bansko, take a bus from Sofia to Blagoevgrad. Once in Blagoevgrad, take a bus from Blagoevgrad to Bansko. Check out this blog post for more details if you need to get from Sofia Airport to the Central Bus Station.
- Shared or Private Transfer — depending on the season and your needs, you can take advantage of a shared ride or book a private transfer from Sofia to Bansko. For a shared transfer, especially in the shoulder seasons (between summer and winter), try to fetch a ride on this Facebook group, it’s like modern hitchhiking where you can meet locals who share a ride. For private rides I recommend contacting Peter Sakarev via WhatsApp: +359 88 3320037 — he is a reliable and very affordable option especially when you have awkward arrival times. Hoppa.com is also a company that offers shared transfers with good pricing in the high-season only. Comparing is key!
- Airport Taxi — The ride to Bansko can be as expensive as 100 to 150 Euros. However, a ride with a cab in town is usually affordable. Make sure the Tarifa-Plaquette on the window says 0,79 BGN as shown below — it is a rip off if a different price is indicated! The Yellow Taxi App might help to get a ride but might have additional airport fees. Uber is not active in BG.
- Car Rental — depending on the season, one of the most affordable and useful options is to rent a car from Sofia airport and drive yourself. Long term rental may cost around 150, up to 300 Euro per month. Having a car in Bansko is also a great benefit as you can then go and have your big weekly shopping in the next town’s supermarket, go sightseeing around Pirin mountain and explore the other 6 mountains of Bulgaria.
- Traveling from Greece — coming from Thessaloniki you can hop on one of the buses from Thessaloniki to Bansko via Blagoevgrad, which run 3 times a day. During winter season, there is a ski bus, very popular with Greeks coming to Bansko for their ski holidays. For more information and exact schedules check Rome2Rio. Another option could also be to get a train from Thessaloniki to Sofia. All you need to remember is to check in advance the schedules and to have the ticket before going on the train.
- Traveling in style — Bansko is served by the unique and scenic narrow gauge railway from Septemvri to Dobrinishte. The sweet railway runs up to the Avramovo stop, which is the highest train stop on the Balkans. Riding the “tesnolineika” is a special experience. If you have the time, just get a first class ticket, bring you favourite snacks and drinks and enjoy the ride. You might want to get a 4G SIM card beforehand too.
- The VISA situation — Bulgaria is within the European Union but it is not part of the Schengen Zone. This allows people to escape the Schengen zone and extend their stay in Europe. For details on a specific visa situation, please refer to the given country’s official websites.
- Bulgaria borders with Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, the Black Sea and Turkey. The Greek beaches are only 3 hours from Bansko and a nice little road trip to many other cities and countries.
IF YOU DECIDE TO COME, HERE ARE SOME USEFUL FACEBOOK GROUPS TO JOIN
Coworking Bansko
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1046507598750746/?fref=ts — Find our more about the community before you arrive.
The Bansko Notice Board
https://www.facebook.com/groups/banskonoticeboard/?fref=ts — Get a feeling of the expat & tourist scenes plus this is a good resource for all kinds of services.
The Bansko Blog
http://banskoblog.com/ — with information about Bansko including their own app, a podcast and videos to capture the atmosphere in the town.
General Information
A bunch of climate graphs, flight prices and accommodation information can be found here: https://weather-and-climate.com/average-monthly-Rainfall-Temperature-Sunshine,bansko,Bulgaria
Coworking Bansko
offers a free “Guide to Bansko”, check the website and download the guide.
I certainly hope you will come and visit our little oasis! We would love to help anyone find their way around our little town! Please reach out if you have any questions.
P.S. Below are some more teaser photos. Hope you enjoy!
This article is the combined work of a bunch of people. Most credits go to the co-authors Maia Mitreva and Chris Reynolds. Thanks so much for making this possible and producing such a compelling and complete guide to a fabulous destination.
Thanks to all the readers who gave their feedback and who have been committed enough to read the entire article. I encourage everyone to comment below and or ask questions or give feedback in order to keep the information up to date!
I wish you all the best, safe travels and a great time!
Yours sincerely, Uwe
